Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada (1900)
- Docket
- 57
- Decided
- 1900-1940-
Summary
Question: Did Gaines’ denial of admission to the University of Missouri Law School violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? Conclusion: Yes. Chief Justice Hughes delivered the opinion of the 6-2 majority. The Court held that by establishing Lincoln University as a state university for black students, the state of Missouri established precedent for providing equal opportunity in higher education for both black and white students. Therefore, the denial of access to legal education was unlawful discrimination. The Court also held that the state’s intent to eventually create a law school at Lincoln University was not enough to absolve the responsibility to provide a legal education in this case. The Court held that Missouri failed in its constitutional duty to provide equal protection under the law by failing to provide equal access to public education within the state. Justice McReynolds wrote a dissenting opinion and argued that education was a states’ right issue, and there can only be federal interference when there is a “clear and unmistakable disregard of rights.” Because the state of Missouri was prepared to pay Gaines’ tuition at an out-of-state law school, Gaines would still have access to a legal education and therefore was not being denied his rights.